This is the fourth largest island of Dodecanese complex, extends over a surface of 111 km2, its coastline is 96 km and counts 17,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of a broader municipality, under which come Leros, Leipsoi, Patmos, Astypalaia, Arkoi and Agathonisi islands.It is known as the «sponge-divers island» due to the great growth of sponge-fishing, during 19th century. After the WWII, Kalymnos remained the only Greek sponge-fishing force, exporting to Greece and abroad, thus gaining its famous nomination as the ‘island of sponge-divers’. During antiquity, the islands, along with Leros, were known as Kalydnai Islands. The Kares tribe from Minor Asia is reported as the first inhabitants of the island. In 1306 it was occupied by the Knights of Rhodes until 1522, when it passed under Turkish domination and later (1912) under Italian until 1948, the year of the unification with Greece. Kalymnos can be reached by ferry via Piraeus and Rhodes’ ports, or by airplane from Athens airport. There are also hydroplanes flying from Athens to the island.